Continuing Misrepresentation
by cautiousAlbatross
Summary: Everyone has secrets - even perfect, beautiful Carlos. But then again, there's not much Cecil wouldn't do for love.


Cecil had always thought he was meant for radio. He might look as pale and insubstantial as a ghost, his hair as white as his skin, but his voice was far from insubstantial, and on the radio, no one could see his face. Sure, there were weirder sights in Night Vale, but that didn't stop people from staring. Cecil preferred to avoid all of that, staying inside the recording studio where only his voice mattered.

Some things, of course, were worth going out for. The new man in town, for instance – the one calling himself a scientist – was well worth seeing. He was more perfect and beautiful than anyone Cecil had ever seen before, and his name rolled deliciously off of his tongue. Carlos. Perfect and beautiful scientist Carlos.

Cecil couldn't resist gushing about Carlos on air, although he didn't exactly try too hard. His show was less community radio and more Cecil's personal life half of the time, although he always managed to get the necessary announcements across (eventually). Anyway, who could resist talking about Carlos? Not Cecil, certainly.

When Carlos actually phoned him, if only to tell him about something to do with time, Cecil felt like his heart might stop. Sure, he said no to getting together for now, but he called. Cecil could hardly believe it. He could also hardly believe that all he could say was "Neat". must Carlos think?

But then there were the voicemail messages. Carlos' soft voice was like ambrosia to Cecil's ears, and this time, he actually asked him out on a date. Cecil spent the entirety of the weather grinning, and thanked the intern so enthusiastically for his cup of coffee that she nearly spilt it all over Cecil (and the expensive equipment in front of him). He was going on a date, with Carlos. Was anyone else in the world as lucky as him?

Cecil couldn't say he wasn't crushed when Carlos called up to cancel, telling him that something else had come up and he needed to stay in the lab, but he did add that maybe they could talk after he'd finished. Cecil took that to mean that he should wait outside the lab until Carlos was done, and headed over there as soon as his show was finished. Sitting down on the kerb under a streetlight, he leant his chin against his hand, prepared to wait for as long as it took for Carlos to come out.

By the time Carlos did emerge, it was drawing close to 3am, and Cecil was starting to nod off. He jerked awake as the door slammed shut, and jumped to his feet, spinning around to see Carlos standing there, his mouth hanging open.

"Carlos!" Cecil said, a broad grin appearing on his face, "Hey!"

"Cecil?" Carlos asked in a quiet monotone, frowning confusedly.

Cecil would have thought his appearance was distinctive enough for Carlos to recognise him, but perhaps the scientist was easily confused.

"Yep! I thought I'd come and meet you here!" Cecil said, bouncing on the balls of his feet and looking far too wide awake for 3am, "You did say we could talk after you finished working, after all."

"Oh. Well, I didn't expect you to turn up here," Carlos said, twisting his hands together.

"I wanted to surprise you."

Carlos hesitated, then smiled tentatively, rubbing his palms against each other.

"So, do you want to get coffee? Or dinner? Have you eaten yet?" Cecil asked, surreptitiously wiping his sweaty palms on his pants.

"It's 3am."

"So you've eaten? Coffee, then?"

Carlos hesitated before saying, "No, actually, I haven't," with his hands spread wide in an expressive shrug.

"Dinner, then? We could get some pizza from Big Rico's," said Cecil, "No one does a slice like Big Rico's."

"Oh, well... All right."

Grinning, Cecil spun around and all but skipped over to Big Rico's.

"Eat in or take out?" he asked, pushing open the door.

Cecil waited for Carlos to reply for a moment, then turned around with an expectant expression.

"Sorry, what was that?" asked Carlos, with an apologetic smile.

"Do you want to eat in or take out?" Cecil repeated, a little louder.

"Oh, right. Take out," Carlos said, lacing his fingers together.

"Toppings?"

"Whatever you want," said Carlos, shrugging, "Just not anchovies. And... nothing too weird."

Cecil wasn't exactly sure what Carlos meant by weird, but he thought that pineapple and dingo's kidneys should be just fine. Those were his favourites.

Carlos waited by the door whilst Cecil ordered and paid, smiling every time Cecil glanced over at him. The pizza didn't take long to arrive, and Cecil was soon bouncing back over to Carlos, pizza box in hand and a grin on his face.

"So, where's your car?" asked Cecil, as they walked out of Big Rico's, and Carlos nearly walked into the door because he was looking at Cecil instead of where he was going.

"Oh, this way."

Cecil babbled about various things as Carlos led the way to his car, occasionally glancing back to check Cecil was still following him. Cecil stopped talking to smile every time their eyes met, his cheeks ever so slightly pink.

It only took them five minutes to reach Carlos' car. Deftly unlocking the door, Carlos climbed into the driver's seat and flicked on the light. A moment later, Cecil opened the passenger door and climbed in as well.

"Is it okay if we eat this in here?" Cecil asked, glancing over at him and opening the pizza box.

"Yeah, that's fine," said Carlos, glancing around at the rubbish littering the floor and smiling slightly.

Cecil grinned, taking a slice, and then offered the box to Carlos, who hesitated before taking some.

"So, what were you doing today?" Cecil asked, through a mouthful of pizza.

"Sorry?" Carlos asked, waving his slice of pizza in the air.

Cecil swallowed before apologising and repeating himself.

"Oh, right. We were just running some tests," explained Carlos, accidentally sending a piece of pineapple flying and smiling embarrassedly.

"Tests?"

"On our watches," he said, tapping his left wrist, although his watch was presumably still in the lab, "We wanted to check whether it was the clocks or time itself which was broken."

"Oh. Neat!"

Cecil smiled. He wondered whether it was his imagination, or was Carlos staring at his lips? Was this a date? Were they going to kiss? Were you allowed to kiss on the first date? Cecil wasn't entirely sure what the regulations on dating were. The fact that Carlos wouldn't take his eyes off of him was just making him even more nervous.

"So, what were your results?" Cecil asked, trying to sound calm.

"Inconclusive, mostly," said Carlos, shrugging.

"Oh, that's too bad," said Cecil, trying to think of something intelligent to say.

"Yeah, it is."

They continued to eat in silence, Carlos staring at Cecil and Cecil staring at his feet. Cecil wasn't sure how to continue the conversation. Honestly, he didn't know all that much about science. At least the pizza gave him something to do.

"Well," Carlos said eventually, swallowing his last mouthful of pizza, "I'd better be getting home. Do you want a lift?"

"Oh, right. Yeah, that'd be great."

"Where to?" Carlos asked, with an inquisitive look.

"Just back to the station," said Cecil, suppressing a sigh, "I left my car there."

"Okay."

The drive back was silent, and not in a good way. Cecil kept trying to think of things to say, but the longer he stayed quiet, the harder it got. When they arrived, he hesitated before getting out of the car, wondering whether he should say something more than just "Goodbye". He couldn't think of anything better to say, though, which was pretty poor for a radio presenter, and left without giving Carlos a chance to reply. Maybe the second date would go a little better.


End file.
